Cheapest bookkeeping for a seed-stage startup: free plans, $30 software and what each leaves out
The cheapest bookkeeping for a seed-stage startup is a free plan. Accountable Free, Kick Free and Mercury Books (free through 2026, then $35 a month) cost $0 for one company. The cheapest paid software is Puzzle Starter at $30 a month and Kick Basic at $40. A service where people do the work starts at $99 a month at Pilot and $494 at Zeni. These are list prices checked September 30, 2026.
Updated · 4 min read · By the Accountable team
- Accountable FreeFirst 100 transactions a month categorized automatically$0/mo
- Puzzle StarterFree for the first 2 months$30/mo
- Kick BasicBilled annually$40/mo
- Digits EssentialsSoftware you run yourself$65/mo
- Pilot EssentialsUp to $100,000 of monthly expenses$99/mo
- Zeni StarterBilled annually; people do the work$494/mo
List prices for one company, checked Sep 30, 2026. Mercury Books and Kick Free are also $0.
The short version
- Three free plans cover one company: Accountable Free categorizes the first 100 transactions a month, Kick Free covers 250 transactions a year, and Mercury Books is free through 2026 for Mercury customers.
- Paid software you run yourself starts at $30 a month for Puzzle Starter, $40 for Kick Basic and $65 for Digits Essentials.
- A service that does the work for you starts at $99 a month at Pilot Essentials and $494 a month at Zeni Starter, billed annually.
- A free plan has limits: a transaction cap, a bank or company limit, and no write access for your AI agent. Check each before you rely on it.
- No bookkeeping plan prepares your tax return. Your CPA still does that, whichever plan you pick.
Eleven ways to keep a startup's books, priced for one company from $0 to $494 a month
Every price is the vendor's own list price for one company, checked on September 30, 2026. The last column says what the option leaves out, because the cheapest plan is only cheap if it covers what you need.
| Option | Price | Who does the bookkeeping | What it leaves out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountable Free | $0 | AI categorizes the first 100 transactions a month and checks accounts against the bank; you approve | One company; Claude and ChatGPT can read but not write; 20 AI accountant questions a month |
| Kick Free | $0 | AI categorization for 1 entity and 250 transactions a year | Capped at 250 transactions a year |
| Mercury Books | $0 through 2026, then $35 | Software built into a Mercury account | Mercury customers only; one company |
| Puzzle Starter | $30 (free for the first 2 months) | AI software; you review | 25 AI credits for the life of the account |
| Xero Early | $27 from Oct 1, 2026 | You, with bank-match suggestions | You do the bookkeeping |
| QuickBooks Simple Start | $38 | You, with AI suggestions | You do the bookkeeping |
| Kick Basic | $40, billed annually | AI with an expert review | Accrual and several entities need Plus |
| Digits Essentials | $65 | AI software; you review | Each company needs its own subscription |
| Pilot Essentials | $99, up to $100,000 of monthly expenses | AI categorizes and reconciles; cash-basis books | No dedicated bookkeeper (that is Core, priced by quote) |
| Accountable Pro | $149 for 2 companies, $49 for each extra | AI categorizes every transaction and checks accounts against the bank; you approve | No bookkeeper and no tax filing |
| Zeni Starter | $494, billed annually | A finance team with AI | Each business needs its own subscription |
Read the vendor's page before you buy: plans change, and these limits are the ones listed on the day we checked.
A free plan lasts until you hit a transaction, bank, agent or company limit
- Transactions: Accountable Free categorizes the first 100 a month automatically and Kick Free covers 250 a year. A startup with a Stripe account and a card passes 100 transactions a month sooner than you expect.
- Banks: Mercury Books works only with Mercury accounts, so a second bank or a card elsewhere needs a different tool.
- AI agents: on Accountable Free, Claude and ChatGPT can read your books. Letting them categorize or post entries needs Pro.
- Companies: every free plan covers one company. The day you form a second one, Accountable Pro covers 2 for $149 a month and each extra is $49; most rivals charge each company in full (see accounting software for multiple businesses).
One company for a year: $0 on a free plan, $1,188 at Pilot and $5,928 at Zeni
Accountable Free, Kick Free: $0, with the transaction caps above.
Puzzle Starter: $30 × 12 = $360 for the year, less its 2 free months.
Kick Basic: $40 × 12 = $480 for the year, billed annually.
Pilot Essentials: $99 × 12 = $1,188 for the year, up to $100,000 of monthly expenses.
Zeni Starter: $494 × 12 = $5,928 for the year, billed annually.
None of these include the tax return. A C-corporation return and Delaware franchise tax are a separate bill from your CPA; the bookkeeper or CPA guide lists what they cost.
Pick the cheapest plan that covers the next twelve months
Step 1: Count your companies. One company fits any plan above; two or more points to Accountable Pro, Xero or Kick Plus.
Step 2: Count your transactions. Under 100 a month fits Accountable Free; more needs a paid plan.
Step 3: Decide who reviews. If you will not read the AI's questions each month, pay for a person at Pilot or Zeni.
Step 4: Check what an investor will ask for. If you expect to raise, you need accrual statements and clean monthly records; see the investor-ready checklist.
Step 5: Book your CPA for the tax return, whichever plan you pick.
Questions founders ask
Is there free bookkeeping software for a startup?
Yes. Accountable Free covers one company and categorizes the first 100 transactions a month. Kick Free covers 250 transactions a year, and Mercury Books is free through 2026 for Mercury customers, then $35 a month.
Is a free plan enough for a seed-stage startup?
It is enough while you have one company and few transactions. It stops being enough when you pass the transaction cap, add a second company, or want your AI agent to post entries.
What is the cheapest paid bookkeeping software?
Puzzle Starter at $30 a month and Kick Basic at $40 a month billed annually. Xero Early at $27 and QuickBooks Simple Start at $38 are cheaper, but you do the bookkeeping.
What is the cheapest bookkeeping for two companies?
On list prices, Xero Growing is $118 a month for two organizations and Accountable Pro is $149 for 2 companies. Accountable's third company is $49, against $59 for a third Xero organization.
Does the cheapest option include a tax return?
No. No plan on this page prepares your return. Your CPA prepares and signs it, and that is a separate cost.
Free for one company, $149 a month for two
Accountable (accountable.im) is free for one company, with AI categorizing the first 100 transactions a month. Pro covers 2 companies for $149 a month and each extra company is $49. Moving in from any tool is free. See every price and the price comparison.
Start freeSources, checked October 3, 2026:
Read next
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- Accounting software for multiple businesses: the monthly price for 2, 3 and 5 companies